Things to do in America
A walk in the park
It’s like Christmas every day for hikers in the USA particularly with the uber-impressive network of 60 national and over 6,000 state parks. State parks are generally smaller than national parks, with some exceptions such as the Adirondacks State Park in New York State, bigger than Yellowstone, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Great Smokies and Yosemite national parks combined. And less of a drive from Manhattan than the Lake District is from London.
The Appalachian Trail is one of the most famous long distance hikes but, at over 3,000km long, seek out the best stretches. Such as the White Mountains of Maine and New Hampshire, just 200km from Boston. Do as locals do and stay in traditional hiking cabins which have hosted hikers along the Trail for as long as it has existed. Other great ones beyond the classics include the Amphitheatre Lake Trail in Grand Teton National Park, or Seven Mile Hole Trail in Yellowstone. Many of the parks offer bus shuttles to trailheads too. Travel with a responsible tour operator and they’ll know all the best routes anyway, what times to hit them, and how long they will take. And check our guide to USA’s National Parks.
The Appalachian Trail is one of the most famous long distance hikes but, at over 3,000km long, seek out the best stretches. Such as the White Mountains of Maine and New Hampshire, just 200km from Boston. Do as locals do and stay in traditional hiking cabins which have hosted hikers along the Trail for as long as it has existed. Other great ones beyond the classics include the Amphitheatre Lake Trail in Grand Teton National Park, or Seven Mile Hole Trail in Yellowstone. Many of the parks offer bus shuttles to trailheads too. Travel with a responsible tour operator and they’ll know all the best routes anyway, what times to hit them, and how long they will take. And check our guide to USA’s National Parks.
Our USA Holidays
Zion, Bryce and the Grand Canyon holiday
See the Grand Canyon & Monument Valley
From
£1445 to £2149
8 days
ex flights
Denali National Park holiday in Alaska
Experience untouched wilderness off the beaten path
From
US $2090 to US $2140
12 days
ex flights
New York State holiday, USA
Discover the best of New York State on this tailor made tour
From
£2800
13 days
inc UK flights
California, Nevada and Arizona holiday
Journey into the remote wilds of Western America
From
£1480 to £1540
11 days
ex flights
New England and Canadian east coast tours
Rugged, unspoiled and off the tourist trail
From
£2599
10 days
ex flights
Alaska adventure holiday, salmon run
Active small group adventures in a retrofitted school bus
From
US $3640 to US $3690
20 days
ex flights
National Parks holidays in America
Explore the historic lodges of America's National Parks
From
£4649 to £4999
15 days
ex flights
Colorado holiday, self drive tour, USA
Explore the varied National Parks of the United States.
From
£3700
18 days
inc UK flights
Small group camping holiday in America
Explore the delights of the National Park system
From
£2199
12 days
ex flights
West Coast tours in America
Spectacular journey along the USA's West Coast
From
£2950 to £2910
14 days
ex flights
Wolf watching holiday in Yellowstone, USA
Expert guided trips to track & watch wolves in Yellowstone
From
£2615
7 days
ex flights
National Parks holiday in America, Western explorer
A medley of man-made and natural wonders
From
£2377 to £3549
12 days
ex flights
Canadian Rockies and National Parks of America
Explore the natural wonder of the Canadian Rockies
From
£2799
17 days
ex flights
Yellowstone and Grand Teton tour, USA
National parks of Wyoming small group tour
From
£2899
6 days
ex flights
Rogue River rafting holiday in the USA
Raft or hike through Oregon's Rogue River wilderness
From
US $895 to US $1375
3 days
ex flights
Alaska adventure holiday
Go deep into the wild on this active Alaskan adventure.
From
£1340 to £1365
9 days
ex flights
Alaska wildlife holidays
An ultimate Alaskan adventure with wildlife and wilderness
From
£3099 to £3379
14 days
ex flights
Snake River rafting holiday in Hells Canyon, North America
Raft the deepest canyon in North America
From
US $860 to US $1995
6 days
ex flights
Small group holiday to Alaska
Sweeping scenic views, vast landscapes, glaciers and wildlife
From
£2899 to £3259
11 days
ex flights
Kenai Peninsula adventure holiday in Alaska
Orcas, Humpbacks and Glaciers: Experience Alaska's coastline
From
US $2040
9 days
ex flights
American National Parks walking holiday
Granite domes and waterfalls of Yosemite National Park to the multi-coloured stone spires
From
£2304 to £2565
11 days
ex flights
San Francisco to Yosemite tour, America
San Francisco, Yosemeti and Lake Tahoe in 3 days
From
£459
3 days
ex flights
Yellowstone NP winter wildlife tour, USA
Action-packed and incredible winter tour of Yellowstone
From
£4179
7 days
ex flights
New York to Niagara Falls tour, 3 days
Niagara Falls & upstate New York short break from nyc
From
£699
3 days
ex flights
Alaskas Glacier Bay small ship cruise
Get close up to Alaska where the big ships can't go
From
£3315
8 days
ex flights
Appalachian Trail walking holiday, America, lodges
Hike in the footsteps of history
From
£2829
11 days
ex flights
Kodiak bear tracking tour in Alaska
Alaskan adventure looking for the large grizzlies
From
£7295
8 days
ex flights
Salmon River rafting holiday in Idaho, USA
Raft through the largest Wilderness Area in the lower 48 of the USA
From
US $1890 to US $3190
6 days
ex flights
farm to fork? in Colorado we found vine to wineglass, grain to glass, peach to prosecco and bison to burger.
Eat, drink and be merry
The US food movement is transforming from fast to slow with Farm to Fork, as it is better known, more prevalent in New York, for example, than London, Paris or Tokyo. California, Colorado, Washington, Oregon and the Deep South are wonderful places to imbibe local brews and feast on local fare. They won’t look at you strangely if you ask what’s local on the menu. They get it.
ON MY FIRST DAY HIKING IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, I CAUGHT SIGHT OF A RARE BALD EAGLE. GOD SAVE AMERICA.
Wildlife watching
There are bison in Yellowstone, caribou and grizzly bears in Alaska and bighorn sheep, bears and elks in Colorado. Some are scary, others are just stunning, but they are all wild. So read up in advance, bring your binoculars, stay aware of what’s out there, take precautions but most of all, enjoy.
Our top USA Holiday
Zion, Bryce and the Grand Canyon holiday
See the Grand Canyon & Monument Valley
From
£1445 to £2149
8 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2020: 10 Feb, 12 Apr, 3 May, 6 Jun, 1 Aug
2020: 10 Feb, 12 Apr, 3 May, 6 Jun, 1 Aug
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about USA or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
Water way to travel
Americans really know how to do the great outdoors. The canoe is indigenous here, after all, and the country is criss crossed with rivers and other waterways where you can paddle along to your heart’s content amid glorious natural scenery. So there is no shortage of paddling possibilities in the USA such as rafting and wild camping along the Grand Canyon’s Colorado River or sea kayaking in Acadia National Park in Maine, which gives you access to caverns and coves only accessible by water.More about USA
The best time to visit America is all year round, although the winter season on the east coast can often find flights brought to a standstill due to thick snow or fog.
Our USA travel guide takes you around the national park wonders in the Rocky Mountains, the deserts and canyons of the West, the culture-rich Deep South and the littoral loveliness of both east and west coasts, as well as road trips!
There are so many wonderful places to visit in the USA, and many that might not be on your radar, such as the Rocky Mountains, the glaciers of Alaska or whale watching in Hawaii.
Home to America’s 10 highest peaks, vast glaciers, volcanoes, fjords and all of it populated by an extraordinary range of wildlife from bears and wolves to whales, Alaska is one of the world’s last great wildernesses.
The Grand Canyon National Park is an American icon, a great slash in the desert carved by the Colorado River over millions of years: 446km long, 29km at its widest point, and almost 2km deep.
The National Parks of the USA are crown jewels in the country’s natural heritage, some such as Yellowstone and Yosemite are renowned for their wildlife, others such as the Grand Canyon have become iconic.
Forget the people dressed up as cartoon animals in theme parks, the most exciting wildlife sightings in America are those to be had in the Great Outdoors, especially the country’s superb network of national parks.
Where would you guess is the most geothermally active place on Earth? No Googling to cheat: Not Iceland, not New Zealand - it’s Yellowstone National Park, with around 10,000 geothermal features.
Yosemite National Park, high in the mountains of California’s Sierra Nevada, is true Land of the Giants territory, with some of the largest living trees on Earth and the tallest waterfall in the United States.
Travelling in America with kids takes you way beyond the clichés into natural theme parks and, although it often does feel out of this world, we mean that in the best way possible.
Our main USA travel advice is to leave your pre-conceptions at home - be prepared for a very outdoorsy holiday, with slow food, wildlife at every turn, and unforgettable landscapes.
There are various responsible tourism issues in the USA, from the Leave No Trace campaign in national parks, to being safe around wildlife, and taking care in the Great Outdoors.
All of our USA guides in one place, featuring particular locations such as Alaska or Colorado. Or perhaps you want to know more about different types of USA holidays we offer such as cruising or wildlife in the USA.
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Photo credits: [Page banner: rayb777] [Walking Grand Canyon: Grand Canyon National Park]
[Wildlife watching: Grand Canyon National Park]
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